1 Have you ever heard of Thomas Hardy? Can you name two of his novels? Read the biography and check.

Thomas Hardy(1840-1928)

was born in Dorset, England. He studied as an architect before he went to King's College in London. London life didn't suit him, though, and he returned to Dorset five years later to devote himself to writing.

Although Hardy was a gifted poet and novelist, he did not have an easy start. He could not find a publisher for his first novel, The Poor Man and the Lady in 1867, and he almost gave up writing there and then. The next two were published under a different name and it wasn't until 1873 that he got his confidence back and published under his own name.

Most of his novels are set in the semi-fictional county of Wessex and describe his characters' efforts to overcome their circumstances and their desires. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Return, of the. Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) and The Woodlanders (1887) are some of his novels which are still loved and admired today for their colourful characterisation and moral messages.

Tess of the d'Urberuilles (1891) tells the story of a poor young farmer's daughter and the events and misfortunes that shape her life. One day her father finds out he has noble ancestry and her life changes. She travels to Trantridge to ask for financial support from a distant relative.

... As Tess grew older, and began to see how matters stood, she wished her mother hadn't thoughtlessly given her so many little sisters and brothers, l1 l l. Her mother's way of thinking was that of a happy child: Joan Durbeyfield was simply another in a large family, waiting for help from fate.

Every day seemed to throw upon her young shoulders more of the family burdens, and that Tess should be the representative of the Durbeyfields at the d'Urberville mansion, was taken for granted, l 2 l l

3 RNE Read again and match the sentences (A-H) to the gaps (1-7). There is one sentence/ phrase that you do not need to use.

A one of the few remaining ancient woodlands in England,

B and now everything was the opposite of what she had expected.

C when it was such a trouble to nurse and provide for them

D Everything looked like money E in this case it must be admitted that the Durbeyfields were putting forward their fairest family member.

F Tess thought this was the mansion itself, till

G Tess still stood hesitating hardly knowing whether to go on or turn back

H It was more, far more; a country house built for enjoyment pure and simple,

She got off the van at Trantridge Cross, and continued on foot up a hill in the direction of the district known as The Chase, on the borders of which, as she had been informed, Mrs d'Urberville's estate, The Slopes, would be found. It was not a manor in the ordinary sense, with fields, and pastures, and a grumbling farmer, out of whom the owner had to squeeze an income for himself and his family bv hook or bv crook. | 3 | | with not an acre of troublesome land attached to it beyond what was required for residential purposes, and for a little fancy farm kept by the owner, and tended by a bailiff . The crimson brick lodge came first in sight, up to its eaves in thick evergreen trees, | 4 | | passing through the side gate with some anxiety, and onward to a turn in the drive, the house itself stood in full view. It was built recently - indeed almost new - and of the same rich red colour as the lodge. Far behind the corner of the house, stretched the soft emerald landscape of The Chase - a truly impressive area of forest land, | 5 | | where mistletoe was still found on aged oaks, and where enormous yew trees had grown since their branches were cut for bows. All of which, however, though visible from The Slopes, was outside of the estate.

Everything on this property was bright, thriving, and well kept - acres of greenhouses stretched across the grounds down to the trees. | 6 | | - like the last coin issued from the Mint4. The stables, surrounded by Austrian pine trees and evergreen oaks, and fitted with every modern appliance, were as dignified as a church hall. On the huge lawn stood an ornamental tent, with its door facing her.

Simple Tess Durbeyfield stood gazing in apprehension on the edge of the gravel driveway. Her feet had brought her to this point before she had quite realised where she was; | 7 | | .

"I thought we were an old family; but this is all new!", she said, in her innocence. She wished that she had not fallen in so readily with her mother's plans for "claiming kin5," and had tried to find assistance nearer home.

The d'Urbervilles - or Stoke-d'Urbervilles, as they at first called themselves - who owned all this, were a somewhat unusual family to find in such an old- fashioned part of the country. Parson Tringham had spoken truly when he said that Tess's father, John Durbeyfield, was the only real descendant of the old d'Urberville family existing in the county, or near it. He might have added, what he knew very well, that the Stoke-d'Urbervilles were no more d'Urbervilles than he was himself. Yet it must be admitted that this family had a good basis upon which to attach a name which sadly needed restoring to a good position.

1 horse- drawn cart, 2 a person employed to look after land by the landowner,3the lower parts of a house, 4 place where official coins of a country are made, 5 a family relationship

4 Match the underlined words and phrases with their meanings: red, agreed with, green, in any way whatsoever, force on a young person, elegant, where everyone can see something. Then, explain the words in bold.

Types of buildings

5 Match the buildings to the definitions. Which ones are mentioned in the text?

1 mansion 2 cottage3 stables4 lodge5 manor6 shed7 hall8 greenhouse

a a large country house dating from the Middle Ages including the land and buildings around it b a very large housec a small house at the entrance to the grounds of a large housed a small house in the country e a large building used for public eventsf a building where horses are kept g a glass building where plants are grownh a small building for keeping garden tools in